20th December 2024: The Appliances Business of Godrej Enterprises Group, partnered with the AICTE for the 7th edition of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024. The event was conducted at multiple institutions all over India, where 1,350 finalist teams presented their ideas to tackle 254 problem statements that covered diverse themes like sustainability and environment consciousness in industry practices, blockchain, smart automation and many more.
During a virtual ceremony, the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurated the event, and the Hon’ble Minister of State for Education, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. Dr. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman of AICTE and Chief Innovation Officer of the Innovation Cell, Ministry of Education, and Mr. Sant Ranjan, AVP and Head of Innovation (R&D) at the Appliances Business of Godrej Enterprises Group participated amongst other dignitaries.
With the increasing strain on global resources, finding innovative ways to conserve them has become crucial. Reports suggest that India’s demand for electricity for running household appliances is estimated to expand nine-fold by 2050. Thus, for SIH 2024, Godrej picked the theme – “Innovating for Sustainability: Driving Resource Conservation in Large Appliances” as a challenge for the students.
Speaking about the success of the event, Dr. Abhay Jere, Vice Chairman, AICTE, said, “SIH 2024 has been a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in solving real-world challenges. Our partnership with Godrej exemplifies how collaboration between private enterprises and government institutions can accelerate innovation by bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application, while also addressing critical societal and environmental challenges.”
Congratulating the participants, Mr. Sant Ranjan, AVP and Head of Innovation (R&D) at Appliances Business of Godrej Enterprises Group, said, “At Godrej Enterprises Group, we have always believed in the power of innovation to drive positive change. Partnering with AICTE for SIH 2024 and mentoring the young participants has been a great experience. The innovative solutions from the students instil confidence that we are headed towards a more sustainable and greener future. My heartfelt congratulations to the winning teams.”
Smart India Hackathon 2024 reached 2,99,352 students from 2,600 higher education institutions. A total of 49,892 teams tackled 254 problem statements and the finale was broadcast live across 51 nodal centers, allowing audiences from all over the country to witness the creativity and ingenuity of India’s young innovators.
Team Refrirangers from the Institute of Management Studies Noida, Team Pure Rince from Gujarat Technological University Ahmedabad, and Team MECHSPACE from Knowledge Institute of Technology Tamil Nadu were recognized for their outstanding performance that stood out amongst the many brilliant, unique,e and diverse solutions presented from institutes all over India, to tackle the challenge of sustainability in appliances.
